We aim to have all wines be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock and you note you would like that particular vintage, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
About This Wine
Didier Gimonnet is the second generation of growers to direct this superb estate, with 28 hectares of holdings in grand and premier cru villages, predominantly in the Côte de Blancs. The winery is in the premier cru village of Cuis where Didier’s family has been growing grapes since 1750. Pierre Gimonnet, Dider’s Grandfather, started bottling estate champagnes in 1935. In addition to the 13.5 hectares in Cuis, Gimonnet owns 11 hectares of chardonnay vines in the grand cru villages of Cramant and Chouilly, plus another hectare in Oger and two in Vertus. Gimonnet also owns half a hectare of pinot noir, split between the grand cru of Aÿ and 1er cru of Mareuil-sur Aÿ
The high percentage of old vines at this estate sets it apart in a region suffering from a plethora of very young vineyards. Seventy percent of Gimonnet’s holdings are over 30 years old, of which some forty percent are over 40 years old, with 100+ year old vines in the lieux-dits of Le Fond du Bateau, planted in 1911, and Buisson planted in 1913, both in the Grand Cru village of Cramant.
“Cramant,” says Gimonnet, is “very expressive and round;” Chouilly is similar in style but slightly less concentrated; Cuis is much more “neutral, acid, fresh, aerial:” this north-facing village is the coolest in the Côte des Blancs. These are sappy, crunchy, refreshing champagnes of acupuncturally tonic qualities with lingering, salty purity.
Type | Champagne & Sparkling |
---|---|
Varietal(s) | Pinot Noir |
Country | France |
Region | Champagne |
Brand | Pierre Gimonnet & Fils |
Vintage | NV |
Wines from Champagne
Associated with luxury, celebration, Champagne is where the world’s most prized sparkling wine originates. In the past it was very common for people to confuse the term Champagne and sparkling wine as they are so synonymous. By EU law however, only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region and under strict quality standards can legally be called by that name.
Sparkling wine produced the Champagne way, goes through secondary fermentation in the bottle. This is known as méthode champenoise or outside of Champagne it is called the traditional method. When the yeast inside the bottle have finished working, they die and become lees. The lees remain in contact with the wine until the winemaker decides to take them out, creating texture, richness, and complexity in the wine.
In comparison, the other popular way of fermenting sparkling wine is called the Charmat method where the fermentation happens en masse in a large tank and extended lees contact does not happen. . This is cheaper and rather than emphasizing richness and complexity, the tank method enhances clean fruit and aromatics, making wines that are youthful and easy drinking.
The principal grapes that go into making champagne include: Chardonnay (white), Pinot Noir (red) and Pinot Meunier (red). A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labelled Blanc de blancs while ones comprised of only red grapes will be called Blanc de noirs. Whether it be white or rose however, most Champagne is made from a mix of both red and white grapes.